Anyone But You
by AuthorJKW
Summary: Rose is the typical Bookworm daughter of Hermione, but that doesn't last forever. Rose finds something in someone she hates, and through a wirlwind of crazy decisions and a certain bet, the two find themselves more embarassed and close than ever before.
1. Chapter 1

**Anyone But You**

**Based in the year of : 2022 **

**RoseWeasley : March 5th 2006 (7th year)**

**HugoWeasley : October 1st 2008 (5th year)**

**Scorpius Malfoy : November 21st 2006 (7th year)**

**James Sirius Potter : December 5th 2005 (1 year graduated)**

**Lily Luna Potter : February 17th 2008**

**Albus Severus Potter : March 23rd 2006**

"Mum, dad, where are they?" I asked my younger brother Hugo, running down the staircase.

"No clue sis," he replied.

"I can't believe that you are heading into your fifth year little bro," I exclaimed.

"And I can't believe that you're sixteen and don't have a boyfriend!"

"Shush Hugo! You know I just don't have time yet. When I find the right guy, I will, but until then, keep your mouth shut please!"

"You can't make me."

"What are you, twelve or something? You don't have a girlfriend right now either!"

"I have dates. They just don't amount to anything, thank you very much."

"Oh, I know that Hugo, but if you don't decide to keep your mouth shut, I could always tell mom and dad about how you spent your summer making out with a different girl every week."

"You wouldn't!"

"Oh, you know very well that I would!"

"Too bad you don't have any secrets I can blackmail you with."

"That's right, I don't," I smirked, raising an eyebrow at him. Hugo scoffed, clearly annoyed, and bouldered past me and down to the landing. I followed him, hopping ever so casually over a pile of clothing that had been randomly positioned right in front of the bottom step.

"Mum," I called, "where are you?" I spotted mum and her unusually tamed bushy brown hair in the laundry room and bolted.

"Yes Rose, darling?" she answered, working at a knot of disregarded socks.

"Have you seen my violet spelled quill or my bottle of green ink?"

"No, darling, I haven't but your father might have already packed it away for you, why don't you go ask him?"

"Thanks Mum, I will, love you," I kissed her nose and ran from the laundry room to look for Dad.

""Rosie," why are you in such a hurry? Canvasing our house for a hidden hottie?" Dad laughed, appearing in front of me.

"Dad!" I exclaimed, in an almost whiney tone. "Why would you say such a thing? And no, I'm looking for you."

"Awe, I'm so hurt. Personally, I think I'm pretty dapper."

"Hey Dad, have you by any chance seen my violet quill or green ink? Mum said you might have already packed it away for me."

"I don't know about your old ones, but I seem to recall seeing a couple of packages with the pile of trunks, one for you, and one for Hugo."

"Dad, you didn't!"

"Go look and find out then." I made my way to front hall where all of the trunks and cages lay waiting to be once again lugged onto Hogwarts grounds. On top of one of the trunks were two wrapped packages, one in a chocolate-brown paper, and the other in baby blue. I saw my name atop the baby blue package and grabbed for it, pulling off the paper carefully, so as not to rip it to shreds. Inside of a wooden carrying case that measured about ten by ten inches sat three rows of ink wells. Three of a deep violet, three of emerald green, and three of cobalt blue ink. Beneath the box, still concealed in the paper sat a gorgeous new violet spelled quill. It would never fade in colour, and carried an inspirational charm that allowed the user to be inspired to work anytime, no muse required.

"Mum, dad, thank you, thank you so much!"

"You are very welcome Rose," Mum and Dad replied, their voices echoing from down the hall. I reached down to my trunk, unclasped it and placed the beautiful box of ink wells into a side compartment.

"Can we get a move on?" I shouted, wanting to leave for Hogwarts as soon as I could. My cousins were to meet Mum, Dad, Hugo and I at platform 9 ¾ in only ten minutes, and I hadn't seen any of them in weeks.

"Hold your horses and bring your bags to the fireplace. We're traveling by Floo today."

"Okay," I called, picking up my trunk and heading toward the living room fireplace.

"You forgot your cat," Hugo yelled at me, walking into the room, my kitten Nala hanging off of his trousers, her claws digging into his skin as she held on for dear life. Of course, Hugo was swinging back and forth, attempting to make Nala fly off of him, but she was clearly far too stubborn.

"Nala, poor girl," I cooed, picking her up off of Hugo. "Was Hugo being mean to you again?" She mewed in agreement, as I stroked her soft, furry tummy.

"Could you be any weirder?" Hugo asked me, quite sarcastically at that.

"Could you be any dumber?" I retorted, laughing. Hugo huffed, upset with my comment.

"Listen, I choose to live my life, okay sis? Just because I don't have a perfect record at Hogwarts, it doesn't mean that I'm dumb or anything like that!"

"Hugo, you get into so much trouble that one folder for all of your written up misbehavior isn't enough. They had to give you your own drawer, and they categorize both alphabetically, and by date. You have almost as much of a record as Uncle Fred and Uncle George combined! The only people that trump you with that is Mum, Dad, Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny. They have a combined drawer all to themselves, and some of the stuff they did breaks more than about fifty school rules. Please, could you start acting more your age? Calm down a bit and be a good student for once!"

"Bossy much?"

"Annoying much?"

"Bookworm much?"

"Freak much?"

"Blast ended dementor buggerer!"

"Library slut!"

"Hey! I am not!"

"Rose, Hugo!" Mum glared, coming from the kitchen. "Could you not bite at each others throats for about five seconds. We have to go, or we will be very late."

"Unfortunately," Dad added, "we do not have a magical flying car, so that is completely out of the question!"

"Ronald, darling, you know very well not to give our dear Hugo and good, or rather bad ideas! Knowing your son, he probably will try to make a bloody flying car himself, and we all know how that will end out, now don't we?"

"My son? My son! Why is it that when he does something wrong, he is never your son, or even our son, he's my son! Why is that exactly?"

"Listen darling, you know that I was always the good one between all of the mischief that you and Harry got into."

"Me and Harry?"

"Harry and I, and yes, I always have been! And even though I didn't follow the rules to the letter, at least I tried, and dammit, I tried to follow the rules, but no, of course you and Harry were always so dependent on me! You always needed me, not that you said that more than half a billion times!"

"Listen, if I recall very well, during Seventh year, you broke all of the rules, and not just rules, but a few dozen ministry laws too! There was even that time during the final battle remember? When we finally got together and we went looking for that bloody Basilisk fang! You were still technically within school grounds and we..."

"Ronald! Not in front of the children!"

"Yeah," I gagged, "we don't exactly want to know about your chamber of secrets sex life. What you did or didn't do needs to stay a secret! Please, for Merlin's sake!"


	2. Chapter 2 : See You Never

**Anyone But You – Chapter 2**

"_**I leave you with but a few simple words, 'What things seem to be may be in the eye of the beholder, but it is through the eye of the beholder that the seeming becomes real'."**_

**Rose's POV**

We arrived at platform 9 ¾ just in time to catch the train, with only enough time to catch our breaths, and for a few quick goodbyes.

"Rose darling," Mum called as we rushed ourselves across the platform.

"Yes Mum," I turned suddenly, causing Hugo to crash into me. We landed smack down against the concrete platform. My head snapped back, making contact with the ground, as Hugo landed directly on top of me. I groaned both in extreme annoyance and at the slight pain that rolled up the back of my skull.

"Rose!" Dad cried out, "Are you okay!" He and Mum came running up to me. They completely ignored Hugo as he managed to untangle himself from me, and roll away. Every ounce of Dad's attention was posted directly on me, and of course, that just annoyed Hugo to no end.

"Yeah," Hugo grimaced, "I'm okay, thank you for asking. Love you too."

"Hugo!" Mom exclaimed, "You're sister just hit her head against the concrete platform and you still only care about yourself! She could be really hurt, you know!"

"Sorry, but I mean, you didn't even ask if I was okay! You just kind of assumed I was, and I mean, that's all okay and everything, but…" A glare from Mum shut him up, for the time being, at least." Mum and Dad turned back around and continued to fuss over me, not letting me sit up. A crowd was beginning to gather around us, chalk full of students all ages, from first years to those in my year. I groaned in embarrassment.

"Mum, Dad, trust me, I am fine. Really, I promise you that I am, okay." I fought their prodding hands and worried words, and made my way to a sitting position. Suddenly the world became a blur, but I managed to stay seated.

"Are you okay, honey?" Dad asked.

"Are you dizzy, can you see well enough?" Mum added.

"Lost your nerd gene yet?" Hugo said, laughing. "Maybe the fall tweaked your mind just a bit."

"Shush Hugo!"

"It was just a question!" he retorted. "I can always hope, can't I?" Mum and Dad either didn't hear him, or chose to simply ignore his words, because they didn't react to his latest comment.

"Answer us, Rose! Ronald, she isn't talking," Mum cried.

"Calm down, would you?" I groaned.

"See, Hermione dear, she is talking. You are just over-reacting as usual." Mum glared at him, only to put all of her attention back on me.

"I'm fine," I lied. Wow, my head ever killing me!

"Are you sure, you do not look fine, honey. You're kind of pale, and…"

"I'm always pale!" Somehow, I managed to snag the gorgeous ginger hair from my father's side of the family, as well as freckles, while contracting a pale complexion from my mother. And by some miracle, I neither received the Weasley straight hair gene, nor the Granger frizzy-hair gene, but had instead ended up with perfect, loose curls for hair. I seemed I had won the genetic lottery there, plus the smarts from Mum, though I contracted a nasty fear of spiders from my Dad.

"Ronald, does she look a bit peachy? She does, doesn't she?"

"I have to go, let me up," I accepted Dad's help standing up.

"Are you sure you aren't dizzy at all honey, you know, you could always go see a healer and get to school for tomorrow. Your classes don't start until then anyways."

"I will be perfectly fine, Mum, and keep your knickers on Dad, this isn't a big deal!" A rainbow of colours swam around in my head. Clouding my vision, but luckily I was still able to see well enough, and no way I was about to tell my parents about the dizziness. I had to get on the train. Weird enough as it was, people were still crowded all around me, staring, and asking if I was okay.

"Hugo, you carry her trunk, Rose, I want you to go have a lie down on the train."

"But I have Head Girl duties!" I complained.

"Not as far as I am concerned at the moment. You need to have a lie down, and if you start feeling sick, get to Madame Pomphrey as soon as you get to Hogwarts."

"Okay, Mum, I promise I will. But I have to go now."

"Why do I have to carry her trunk?" Hugo whined.

"Because she is your sister and you love her very much, despite how much you try to make it seem like you despise the very magic in her. Now go get her stuff on the train, or I swear, on the memory of Albus Dumbledore, you will be very displeased come the holidays! Got it?"

"Yes, Mum." Hugo grumbled, trudging away, my heavy trunk trailing behind him, and onto the train.

"I love you," Mum and Dad said together, hugging me.

"I love you guys too, I have to go. I kissed my mother on the nose, and Dad on the cheek before walking off towards the train. The group that had huddled around me followed like a swarm. I managed to get on the train and out of sight of Mum and Dad before letting the full effects of the fall hit me. I groaned, as I made some very un-straight steps down the small corridor between the compartments on either side of me.

"Here," said a fifth year boy named Alfie, offering his arm. I took it gladly.

"Thanks for helping me. I really appreciate it you know."

"You're welcome. After a fall like that, I really am surprised you aren't full out staggering down the train like a drunk on a Tuesday."

"It wasn't really that bad, you know. It was only the ground." The corridor surrounding us, along with everything else swirled around me as the world became more and more disorienting through the dizziness.

"Yeah right, just the ground? That was rock-hard cement that's been hanging around for probably a few too many years. Trust me it is a very hard surface. And you're staggering all over the place. Where are we headed?"

"Head Boy and Girl's compartment. It's just up here, I think."

"Yup, I see the sign. Says 'Head's' on the door." Alfie pushed open the unlocked door, leading me inside.

"You can go. I'll be okay."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, thanks Alfie." He placed me on one of the plush benches and left the compartment with a final wave, and a promise to hang out later on in the year.

Hell did my head ever hurt. I could barely make sense of the room around me as I closed the compartment door with my foot, and stretched out on the seat, hoping that the train ride would be a smooth one. The train started up as I drifted off into the land of the unconscious.

"Yo, Weasley!" A voice, clearly male, and oddly familiar drifted into my ears.

"Eemph," I groaned, still half asleep.

"Weasley, you should probably get up for a moment. Rose Weasley, are you even listening to me?" I opened my eyes slowly. Outside the windows was an ever-darkening sky, or no, the blinds were shut.

"Sorry, headache."

"Finally, I almost thought you were dead there. I've been trying to wake you for upwards of ten minutes!" I recognized the tone as I took in my surroundings. It was Scorpius Malfoy.

"Malfoy," I asked, squinting in the light.

"Yeah Weasley?"

"Why did you call me Rose, and since when are you Head Boy?"

"You weren't exactly responding to your surname, now were you? And since this year, duh! Same for you. You okay?"

"Why do you ask, we hate each-other?"

"I was forced to. Seems someone notified Headmistress McGonagall about your condition. She made it my job to make sure you aren't dead in here."

"I appreciate your fake interest in my personal well-being," I laughed sarcastically, rubbing the back of my head. There was a bump there, as well as a scratch, which I realised when I saw the flakes of dried blood on my hand.

"You bleeding?"

"Not like you should care or anything, but could you check the back of my head please," I asked him, wondering if he would even agree to help in the first place.

"Sure, that's the other job I was given." He walked around to my back, and moved my hair aside with his fingers, checking out the bump.

"Does my head look okay?"

"Not really, but kind of, I guess."

"What kind of answer is that?"

"You have a big bump at the back of your head, and a few scrapes. The blood's all dry though. Just wait a sec. Here, _'Lilliatum lunera scalpus'. _I felt some of the pain in my head go away, and the stinging from the scratches had left entirely. I was left with only a slightly overbearing headache.

"Where'd you learn that?" I asked curiously.

"Listen, I have to go, I'm supposed to cover both our duties. We will be arriving shortly."

"Uh, Malfoy?"

"Yeah Weasley."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it, and really, I mean it. My reputation doesn't accommodate helping strangers."

"We aren't strangers Malfoy. "

"Never the less, why act like the co-operators we aren't. See you never." He walked from the compartment, an unreadable look plastered across his arrogant face.


	3. Chapter 3 : Not That Slutty

**Chapter Three – Stuck Here Awhile**

Alfie appeared from out of nowhere just as I stepped off the train and onto the dark, cobblestone covered platform. I smiled blindly, dragging my trunk over to the horse-drawn carriages. I knew they weren't really horses, but it bothered me to think of them as anything else. Their dead, leathery black wings echoed across my vision, reminding me of so much. I had been only nine when my muggle grandparents had passed away, and although I had not found any special connection with them at the time, I still loved them just the same as if I had. And trust me, being able to see such dastardly creatures was no gift. They terrified every inch of me, right down to my knickers.

"You feeling better now Rose?" Alfie asked me, a warm smile growing on his slightly chapped lips.

"Much better actually, thanks for asking. Malfoy did a little magic work on my head. It's just a bit of an annoying headache right now."

"Malfoy? You are sure that it is him right, because Malfoy is not really the helping kind after all. He's semi-kind of a little bit deranged and evil."

"I don't think he's evil really, I just don't believe that he is perfectly honest and good either."

"I dunno, I can't stand to be in a room with the bloke for too long. I half think that he'll ignore the rules and just make me spontaneously combust or something really crazy like that. "

"He does give of a thoroughly negative vibe. That and he is known as a creepo man-whore and all."

"Never in my life, would I have thought it possible to hear the words "creepo man whore" ever come out of Rose Weasley's dainty little mouth."

"Well, what can I say? He does have a reputation you know."

"So, what will you do with him all school year then?" I didn't respond immediately, a bit confused.

"Do with him all school year?" I asked, a bit weirded out by the question.

"You know, since you'll be sharing a private dorm with him and everything."

"Say what?" I screeched. Half the students on the platform turned to stare and see what was going on.

"The two 'Heads' this year share a dorm. The professors thought it would be easier to sort out things like duties and such if they were that close together in the castle."

"Oh for Merlin's sake, why would they do that to me? How am I supposed to live with the horniest teenager in the entire school for an entire year? Then, given the fact that it is him, he'll probably be walking around in knickers with all of his goods all cinched up and presentable like he's the big cheese and all. How the hell am I supposed to live around that?"

"Well that doesn't sound so bad. Have you seen him walking back from the showers yet? He wears the smallest towel possible around his waist, and that's it. No knickers, trainers, shirts, or anything of the sort! He's practically naked! Whoa, whoa, whoa, now how will you keep yourself off of that? You're a hormone driven crazed teenager just like the rest of us!"

"I'm not about to jump him, Alfie! Merlin, I can't say anything around here without being accused of the opposite. Malfoy will never want to sleep with me, and do you really think that I am the perfect type of person to sleep with a guy who is pretty much a stranger to me? Hell no! I will not shag him! Not now, and not ever, bloody hell!"

"Calm down calm down. This is nothing to have a spat over."

"Then why in the world did you bring up the subject of Malfoy shagging me?"

"I didn't, actually. I just told you that he and you are hormonal teens and will be stuck in a dorm together all year."

"That pretty much implied it though!"

"Listen, we're at the carriages, so why not act a bit more civil?"

"Oh right." Almost every carriage was filled. I watched as Alfie squeezed himself into a carriage with a group of his friends, pulling his trunk up behind him. I looked around the platform. Nearly every carriage was so jam packed that a sardine couldn't fit in any of them if anyone bothered to try. Well, maybe that was a bit of an over exaggeration. I mean, sardines are pretty damn small and all. I might as well be getting back to the situation of finding a carriage, because in a minute or so I would be left behind. I suppose I could always travel across the lake with Hagrid and the first years, but great Scott, would that be embarrassing!

I finally found a carriage that was empty except for one person, whose face I couldn't see. I stepped into the carriage, bringing my trunk with me, but suddenly remembering my cat. _He's probably with Hugo,_ I decided, settling into the empty seat across from the hooded stranger.

"Of all the places you could be, do you have to spend so much time with me, wherever I am?" Malfoy turned toward me, his usual smirk all over his face. And if you ask me, that evil, devious smirk appeared way too often to be a good thing.

"It isn't packed to the brim, this one, that's why Malfoy," I explained in a huff, leaning against the side of the carriage, my legs crossed.

"You know Weasley, you have some rather nice legs there, almost sexy if I do say so myself," he reached over, and ran a finger up my thigh which had unknowingly been exposed when I crossed my legs. My robes had fallen, and bunched up near the top of my thigh. Unfortunately, my school skirt hadn't done very much either, also having slid up to rest mere inches from the edge of my knickers. I slapped his hand away, pulling my robes down to cover as much as possible.

"Since when do you have the right to touch me like that or at all for that matter?"

"Oh Weasley, sweet, I'm so sure you aren't as innocent as you really look Weasley. Your leg was just sitting there, and I couldn't very well let an opportunity like that go to waste, now could I?"

"Not as innocent as I look? What exactly are you implying with that comment? And just because something is sitting there, doesn't mean you have the right to touch it! I swear, sometimes you're almost as bad as a five year old!"

"I am most certainly not as bad as a five year old! And kids aren't that bad you know! And I am just saying that it's usually the not slutty looking girls who put out behind closed curtains. Not saying you are or aren't, I'm just saying that I wouldn't be all that surprised if you have shagged a little here and there.

"Don't tell me that you of all people like kids Malfoy! And never talking about my love life, or I swear I will hex your balls off and have them spelled back on in a less than comfortable area of your body!"

"I bloody well love kids Weasley! You really think I'm that bad of a person don't you! You hex my balls off, and I will…"

"Can't say it, can you?"

"I can't say what?"

"You can't hurt a girl!"

"So what if I can't hurt a girl? There's no pride in it!"

"Good!"

"Good what?"

"Good to know you are at least of a bit of a decent bloke somewhere in there."

"So, was I right Weasley?"

"About what?"

"About you not being innocent."

"You will never know," I smirked, winking at him.


	4. Chapter 4 : Bets And Strangers

"I'm sure there's a bikini-clad, kitten heeled Rose Weasley floating around in those roomy robes of yours somewhere," Malfoy smiled, looking me up and down.

"Are you implying that I would ever wear kitten heels and a bikini at the same time? I've hardly ever sported either of those options!"

"Come on, I know kitty got claws, and damn is she ever willing to pounce on the closest victim for just a little bit of bodily pleasure. I bet my engraved, emerald and silver ring that you have shagged at least one bloke in this school, if not more."

"You sure that you want to make that bet, Malfoy? Because no doubt, you are going to lose."

"It's a bet. One hundred percent iron-clad."

"So…"

"So what?"

"How are you going to prove it? The only iron-clad prove would require a full examination, and those just aren't the types of assets that you have at your fingertips right now. Or ever."

"Never say never, and don't you go being a sourpuss."

"I am not a sourpuss. I just don't want you knowing me…that intimately."

"Don't worry, I have a plan, and first thing bright and early tomorrow morning, it will come into effect."

"Oh no," I cried sarcastically. "Whatever will you do to little ol' innocent me?"

"Everything if that's what it takes. And I can keep it going until the day we die. But I will find the truth, meaning I know that I am right, and you know it too. You just don't want to admit that you aren't as perfect as everyone thinks you are. I mean, seriously. Your name isn't Chastity, and you are not pure."

"Not every teenager feels the need to shag every five minutes. Oh wait, that means you're past due. You might want to go find one of your ex-girlfriends. I'm sure that they would just love doing you the honour of, well…doing you."

"Haha, funny. You just wait for the proof. It will come forward, believe me." Malfoy and I hopped down from the carriage just after it had come to a complete stop. Nala pranced over to my feet, where I reached down to pick her up.

"What is that?" Malfoy asked smugly.

"This is my kitten Nala," I responded quickly. Once Nala had secured herself in my arms, snuggling against the crook of my elbow, I pulled my trunk over to the ever-growing pile of luggage and walked as quickly as I could into Hogwarts. Malfoy jogged up beside me.

"Oi', you trying to stay away from me or something?"

"Yes, actually. There's no rule that says Head boy and girl need to spend every waking hour glued to each-other."

"Maybe so, but no worries, I have nowhere better to go to at the moment."

"Oh joy of my life, that is. You know what? Feel free to stay. Sit with me, bug me all you want about how much of a shag-monger you think I am. You can even eat off my plate if you really want. Just do whatever the Hell pleases you most."

"Why thank you, I will take that into consideration I think. Considered, thought-over, and I like it. Well, parts of it anyways. Tell you what I'll take a rain-check on some of that wonderful offer that I really can't refuse completely. I'm supposed to be sitting with my own house for the first meal, remember?"

"Right, goodbye Malfoy."

"Not for forever, remember, we do have to share a dormitory and everything now. All year long, I can just walk into your room, and maybe brush my teeth while you're showering. Ooh, redecoration will be in order then. What do you think about a transparent shower curtain?" He smiled evilly, walking away from the Gryffindor table that I now stood in-front of. It didn't take long to spot my family. After-all, how hard is it really to spot a closely huddled grouping of two gingers, and a jet-black head of hair? The answer is not at all. Our family sticks out in a crowd, Albus less-so, but then again, he is the son of one of the two most famous wizards in history, the other being highly infamous. Albus had turned into a younger version of my Uncle Harry, and looking at old pictures of him, along-side pictures of Albus was a scary sight. They could have been twins, had they been in the same generation. I walked over to them, and was immediately tackled by Lilly. She gave me a huge squeeze which killed my chest to be a part of, but luckily the hug only lasted…about two minutes.

"Lilly, Hun how are you?" I asked, sitting down next to her at the Gryffindor table.

"I'm great! Henry asked me out during the summer, so we've been going out from time to time for weeks now!"

"That's great, but I thought Uncle Harry didn't want you dating just yet."

"Dad doesn't like it one bit. He knows that Henry is really nice and all, but he thinks that I'm a little girl, and I'm not. I haven't been for a while now, and besides, I'll be fifteen in February. I don't see why he needs to make such a big deal of it. I mean, Mum is okay with us going out, so why can't he be?"

"Lilly, you need to remember that he is your dad, and you are his daughter. Dads are naturally overprotective of their daughters, because they don't want them to be defiled. And they know just how persuadable girls can be at times. That's why he's worried. He doesn't want you…doing anything just yet, that's all."

"But Rose, just a little bit of snogging can't really hurt anyone. And it's not like we've ever done anything super advanced or anything like that."

"So you spent your summer 'just snogging' Henry?"

"I never said that was all we've done. I'm just saying that we haven't done anything that I regret. I haven't shagged the bloke yet. He won't do that with me until I'm sixteen. But I doubt that he'll actually hold onto his self-control for that long. He is a guy after-all."

"Please shut up already," Albus groaned, banging his head against the wooden table before us all.

"Yes, please do," Hugo agreed, slapping Albus' back with a loud '_thwap!_'

"I really don't want to know how you've spent your summer toying with your boy toy. It's bad enough waking up in the middle of the night to see you sneaking back into the house. I really don't need to hear all the details too!"

"I'm with you, bloke. But seriously, at least it isn't like that with my Sis. Right, Rose? Little Rosie here is just a smug little virgin."

"You," I growled, pointing at my brother, "you can shut up, before I find the need to send Dad and Mum evidence of your dozens of snogging escapades out behind the house nearly every night. I will tell them, so don't even temp me! Besides, you're a virgin too!"

"How would you know, huh?"

"One, because you're fourteen."

"That proves a Hell of a lot of nothing right there."

"And two, Dad fed you veritaserum while you were sleep-talking. He had a right-dandy conversation with you last week."

"How would you know that he did that?"

"I watched from around the corner. It was hilarious. You kept talking about how you used to fancy bubble tea, and how you got so drunk the night before that you were convinced you could get to Narnia through the fridge."

"There may be hope for you yet. Evil is beginning finally to manifest itself in your ever-blackening soul."

"Why thank you."

"So…" Lilly sighed.

"So," Albus continued, "how about we pretend that everything we all just said never happened? I really want to pretend that it never happened. Please, I beg of you!"

"Agreed," we all chimed in. Hell, I wanted to forget it all too. How was I supposed to lecture anyone on a subject that I knew absolutely nothing about?

"Students, please be seated," Headmistress McGonagall called us to attention. After a few short minutes of late-comers finding seats, and greeting friends, she began the usual speech.

"Here is comes again," Hugo whispered to Lilly, Albus and I, rolling his eyes in distaste. I kicked him lightly under the table, and he immediately shut up.

"Tonight, we have a nice young group of first-years who are waiting to be sorted, so let's invite them in. I expect the highest of respect and enthusiasm as we sort through the list of new students. Each one of them is to be moulded into a bright individual, and they deserve our applause and excitement when they have been sorted. Take how you all felt back then into consideration. And bring in the first-years Mr. Filch." Moments later, the great hall doors opened, and in flooded a scared looking group of small eleven-year old witches and wizards. Their uniforms were just a little too big for most of them, but each robe was a crisp, clean black, every skirt reaching past the knees, every blouse and dress shirt laying loose around their necks. One student's trousers were so loose around his legs, I almost thought that they wouldn't be able to keep held up by his thin black belt. As they crowded up at the front of the Great Hall, the sorting hat, along with a three-legged wooden stool were being put out up in-front of the Professor's table for everyone to see.

McGonagall had the usual name-adorned roll of parchment clenched in her wrinkled hand, which she unrolled at an agonizingly slow pace.

"There are four houses. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw…and Slytherin. When I call your name, you will sit upon this stool and I will place the sorting hat upon your head. Once it has decided the house that you belong in, you shall retreat to your respective house table, and await the completion of the rest of the sorting."

" _Louise Nordon." A small golden-blonde girl with huge blue eyes walked up to the stool where she then sat, and awaited her house name. "Louise, huh…strong-willed, patient, intellectual…Ravenclaw!"_

"_Marmin Delaney…Hufflepuff!"_

"_Alex Darwin…Slytherin!"_

The sorting went on and on until finally there were no students left. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"I must say that there is still one more student to be sorted. She is a previous student of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, and has decided to study her final year here at our very own Hogwarts. She is therefore a seventh year here, and will be treated in the same way that each and every other student here is. You may enter." The doors opened once more, only this time to reveal a rather gorgeous girl. She was slender, with pale, porcelain skin, and rosy lips. Her hair reached down to her waist, falling in loose waves the colour of spun gold. I was immediately jealous. Everyone turned to stare at her, witch and wizard alike. As she walked towards the front of the room, it became apparent that she had dainty little silver-charmed dirigible plums dangling from her ears. It reminded me of a story that Dad and Uncle Harry once told about a girl named Luna, but clearly this wasn't the same person. Maybe she just strangely had the same type of taste in ornamentation.

It finally clued in that she wasn't even wearing black robes, but pure white ones. They were so pristinely cut and clean that I believed they had to be spelled to never get a speck of dirt on them.

"I am so very sorry that I am not yet in my school robes. My trunk went missing and I only just found them. Please excuse me for any poor impression that this has made on anyone." Her voice flowed out in soft tones, never raising in volume, but remaining consistently pleasant. Every word she spoke to McGonagall was only hearable, because of how close I was sitting to them, but I was awestruck.

"Let me help you with that, dear." McGonagall waved her wand, and the girl's robes changed from their miraculous white, to our school black robe, grey skirt, blouse, tie, and a thin school sweater. The only thing missing was the house logo, which would come later.

"Thank you very much," she whispered.

"You're very welcome. Now students, this is Elara Lovegood. Elara, please sit here on the stool, and I will place the sorting hat upon your head."

"_Welcome younger Lovegood. I have truthfully never sorted anyone of your age, but never the less, I can't wait to tell you that you are in…Gryffindor!" _

Applause erupted all throughout the Gryffindor house table, and she walked directly over to me, and sat down on my right, while Lilly, sitting on my left leaned forward to greet Elara.

"Hello," Elara greeted us. "You must be Hugo and Rose Weasley, and Albus and Lilly Potter. I have heard so much about you all. My Mum told me to look for red hair, and messy black hair. Was she ever right! I cannot wait to start classes here. So, let me guess now. You," she said, pointing at me, "You are Rose. And you," she then pointed at my brother, "are Hugo, the little brother. Which leaves you to be Lilly, and you must be…Albus. Nice to meet you Albus…I mean all of you." The two gazed at each-other for a long moment, slowing shaking hands.


End file.
